Group Poem XVII is called “Doppelgänger” and will be about the battle between good and evil within the narrator’s psyche.

The poem will consist of 5 stanzas of four lines each—all written in iambic heptameter (seven stressed syllables, each preceded by an unstressed one). The rhyme scheme will be AABB CCDD, EEFF, GGHH, IIJJ.

An example is:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

Here’s the challenge: every line, with the exception of the first, MUST contain a synonym (i.e., a “doppelgänger”) of one of the words in the preceding line. When posting a new line, choose a word from the previous line, and then be sure that your new line contains a synonym of that word. Continue on until the poem is complete, selecting a new word from each previous line.

In order to keep up with which what’s what, we will use a color scheme for the synonyms as follows:

Lines 1 & 2: Show the word chosen from line 1 and the synonym in line 2 in red.Lines 2 & 3: Show the word chosen from line 2 and the synonym in line 3 in blue.Lines 3 & 4: Show the word chosen from line 3 and the synonym in line 4 in green.Lines 4 & 5: Show the word chosen from line 4 and the synonym in line 5 in red.Continue with this color pattern until done.

As always, copy the entire poem as it stands, paste it into your reply, and then add your line.

The title and first line is as follows (I have selected the word in line 1):

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology.

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology.

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology.

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in there

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was born

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thornSometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heart

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart.From childhood's lies and tantrums, I progressed to lust and greed

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart.From childhood's lies and tantrums, I progressed to lust and greedGiving in to every longing at a death-defying speed

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart.From childhood's lies and tantrums, I progressed to lust and greedGiving in to every longing at a death-defying speed

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart.From childhood's lies and tantrums, I progressed to lust and greedGiving in to every longing at a death-defying speed

As the immortal Shakespeare wrote: To thine own self be trueMy id keeps being truer than my ego wants it to

I want to be forever good—until I want what’s badI try to banish sinful thoughts, till virtue drives me madIt’s like an evil twin emerges with no decencyA fiend that issues from the depths of my psychology

I’ve tried to vanquish this dark side with therapy and prayerBut neither Freud nor God can best that lawless soul in thereThe animus appeared at first the day that I was bornLike Eden's primal serpent, or a rose's early thorn

Sometimes that dagger's needed to protect the tender heartOf fragile things. For me, it only tears the soul apart.From childhood's lies and tantrums, I progressed to lust and greedGiving in to every longing at a death-defying speed

As the immortal Shakespeare wrote: To thine own self be trueMy id keeps being truer than my ego wants it toThat inner beast persists in mocking all my solemn vows